By Eloria Newell James, community@leadercall.com
August 08, 2008 09:33 am
—
The Laurel City Council has set the date for a public hearing on the City of Laurel’s budget for the 2009 Fiscal Year.
The council voted this week to set a public hearing for the FY 2009 Budget and Tax millage rates to be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.
During the public hearing, citizens will be informed of the city’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year and the proposed ad valorem tax revenue.
Citizens will also be allowed “to speak for a reasonable amount of time and offer tangible evidence before any vote is taken.”
Members of the Laurel City Council and various members of the city’s administration have been meeting for about three weeks to discuss and formulate the city’s budget for next year.
During the City Council’s July 8 meeting, officials discussed that some city departments may see an organizational restructuring during budget hearings.
City leaders also stated that the changes could include creating a Chief Financial Officer position for Laurel. One scenario could possibly include the current city clerk taking on the new position while the city hires a new city clerk. Another option moves the public relations and community relations positions to a marketing umbrella.
During a recent budget meeting, the organizational chart for the city clerk’s office, including many of the previously mentioned changes, was voted down.
Then Tuesday during the City Council meeting, an order was voted down that proposed eliminating the position of Risk Manager and transferring some of the funding from that position to adjust the salaries of other certain positions.
However, council members agreed that a public hearing must be scheduled on the city’s overall budget so that public notice can be made.
Councilman Tony Wheat is serving as the chairman of the council’s budget committee.
During budget discussions, officials have talked about pay raises that have been proposed for the next year.
It has been proposed to increase the city council members’ annual pay from $16,000 to $17,500 — a $1,500 pay increase each and to increase the mayor’s pay from $57,000 to $68,000 — an $11,000 pay increase.
Officials said that the raises being proposed represent the cost-of-living increase for the next four-year period.
According to state law, if a pay increase is approved for the council and mayor, it would not go into effect until the next city council and mayor take office.
A three and a half percent salary increase for all city employees has also been included in the proposed budget.
Councilman Manuel Jones said the city has given its employees a 20 percent increase (five percent over a four-year period) over the last four years.
“I think we’ve done good by the employees,” Jones said. “When some companies have not given any raises, we have given our employees a 20 percent increase.”
Also during budget discussions, Wheat said talk has occurred about increasing fines from citations being issued by the Laurel Police Department to the regional average. Officials are also considering charging for certain services, particularly inspections, that the city has not charged for in the past.
Officials also announced that city fees are anticipated to increase as a part of the budget process.
During the public hearing, city officials will disclose all the proposed changes needed to balance the budget.
The City Council’s budget committee began meeting on July 15 to discuss the 2009 budget.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.